1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shotgun gunlocks of the type commonly found in police patrol vehicles and also called vertical electric riotgun holders designed for controlled transportation of shotguns and rifles wherein the gunlock prevents unauthorized removal of a shotgun or rifle without activation of an electrically operated solenoid lock which requires the use of the vehicle's ignition keys. The present invention relates more specifically to an improved shotgun gunlock, the improvement comprising a solenoid current regulating circuit designed to prevent solenoid coil damage due to excessive current flow which could otherwise open circuit the solenoid coil and thereby prevent desired removal of the shotgun or rifle in a life-threatening situation.
2. Prior Art
Shotgun gunlocks are well known in the art. They are used primarily in police patrol vehicles to secure the shotgun or rifle carried by such vehicles in a locked configuration. In this manner, if the police officers leave the vehicle, the shotgun or rifle cannot be removed by unauthorized persons who might otherwise use the rifle or shotgun either against the officers or innocent third parties. Typically, such shotgun gunlocks are solenoid activated to open upon the depression of an activation switch with the ignition switch of the vehicle turned on. Solenoid-activated rapid opening of the gunlock is imperative in order to obviate any significant time delay in an officer's access to the shotgun. Typically, such solenoid activated shotgun gunlocks utilize a door hinge which permits a thickly-walled, hardened metal locking bracket to engage a mounting bracket for encircling the forward portion of the gun's barrel with the gun positioned vertically and pointing towards the roof of the vehicle. Normally, a spring biased hinge bolt extends perpendicularly through the walls of the hinge and in this configuration, the hinge cannot be rotated. However, with the ignition switch of the vehicle in the ON position, depression of the activation switch energizes the solenoid coil which pulls the hinge bolt away from the hinge, thereby permitting the police officer to open the gunlock and remove the shotgun or rifle. Unfortunately, space for vertically installed shotgun locks is typically limited in a police car cab. Accordingly, the lock coils are generally small and subject to damage from their relatively high activation current. Furthermore, in the exigencies of situations requiring a shotgun, peace officers tend to hold the activation switch down for prolonged periods thereby causing prolonged excessive and potentially damaging current flow to the coil circuit. Unfortunately, once the coil burns open, the shotgun cannot be extracted. This could be a serious and life threatening problem with present gunlocks.
There is therefore a need for a solenoid circuit which can apply the necessary high activation current to draw back the bolt from the hinge to enable the police officer to open the gunlock, but which then reduces the current to a lower level holding current which enables the bolt to be retained outside the hinge while the officer continues to depress the activation switch. In this manner, no damage can occur to the solenoid coil which would otherwise burn open and allow the bolt to reenter the hinge, locking the shotgun in place and making it inaccessible to the officer.